Education

2:40 pm

Wed May 8, 2013

Teacher evaluations, test changes in State of Schools address

Peoria School District 150 Superintendent Grenita Lathan delivered her third State of the Schools address. About 300 people attended the breakfast meeting at Four Points Sheraton. Lathan says the district is having to operate on a slim budget as it grapples with annual deficits and less state funding. She says the recent two-year contract extension with the Peoria Federation of Teachers helps the district financially:

“Because we know now, up until 2016, what pay increases and teacher salary scales will look like. So that’s how it helped our bottom line...over 1,100 people, we know what their salaries will be for the next three years,” Lathan says.

The contract extension now heads to the District 150 School Board for approval. Lathan also says the district’s new teacher evaluation system is helping hold educators more accountable. Lathan also says that the number of students meeting or exceeding state reading and math standards is expected to drop later this year. She says that’s because of the state’s efforts to implement Common Core standards next year.